<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Close Quarters by atetheredmind</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25861957">Close Quarters</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/atetheredmind/pseuds/atetheredmind'>atetheredmind</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, R Plus L Does Not Equal J, and then later a bed, but with a cabin instead, it's like the one bed trope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:20:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25861957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/atetheredmind/pseuds/atetheredmind</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the hopes of finishing his manuscript in peace, Jon takes his loyal companion Ghost with him on holiday for a week, renting out his friend Sam's cabin in the Vale. Instead of the solitude he was promised, however, what he finds is trouble in the form of one unwelcome housemate: Daenerys Targaryen.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>jonerys18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Close Quarters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_and_Direwolf/gifts">Dragon_and_Direwolf</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday Dragon_and_Direwolf! I hope you enjoy this little (haha) one-shot I wrote for you! Thank you for everything you do for this fandom, all your beautiful artwork, and for being a wonderful friend! &lt;3</p><p>If you're not Dragon_and_Direwolf and it is not your birthday, I hope you enjoy this fic anyway!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p>Slamming the trunk of his car shut, Jon hoisted his duffle bag onto his shoulder and lingered a moment to survey his surroundings. He took a deep breath; mountain air just smelled different: crisp, fresh. Up here, in the Mountains of the Moon, the temperature was considerably cooler than the unseasonably warm summer would otherwise suggest. At the moment, his short-sleeve shirt was sufficient, but he knew once the sun went down, the temperature would drop considerably.</p><p>From where his friend Sam’s cabin sat on the eastern side of Strongsong Peak, Jon could see out over the lakes and rivers that cut through the snakewood of the Vale down below. There were other cabins interspersed along the mountainside, but the trees and foliage gave this little spot the solitude he was looking for.</p><p>Gods bless rich friends whose parents gave them the capital to invest in vacation rentals.</p><p>Somewhere nearby, Ghost was already investigating their home for the next week. The second Jon had opened the backdoor, his dog had leapt out of the car and took off for the woods to pee. Jon gave a sharp whistle. “Ghost! To me!” he called and started the trek to the cabin. His white, fluffy companion burst through the brush just as Jon jogged up the steps of the front porch. It expanded the length of the small cabin, the roof extending out over it, and in the corner near the front door sat a lone rocking chair. In the past, Jon had found it to be a great spot to enjoy his coffee in the mornings; this time, he planned to spend a lot of hours in that very spot, working on his manuscript.</p><p>“Good boy,” Jon murmured when Ghost obediently stopped at his heels, tail wagging as Jon scratched his ear. Digging the keys out of his pocket, he flipped through the key ring until he found the one he was looking for then unlocked the door. At his cue, Ghost trotted inside ahead of him.</p><p>As soon as Jon entered the living room, he knew something was off. For one thing, the lights were on. The cleaning service Sam hired after each guest must have forgotten to turn them off the last time they were here. Dismissing the peculiarity, Jon tossed his duffle bag onto the couch.</p><p>Ghost, who was reacquainting himself with the cabin, perked up suddenly, head cocked to the side. Jon frowned. “What is it, boy?” Ghost dropped his nose to the ground, redoubling his sniffing. His hunt led him to a small pair of slip-on sneakers left by the front door. Jon’s frown deepened. Did the last guest forget their shoes?</p><p>Ghost was on a mission now, doggedly following the scent through the living room. Jon trailed after him, curious to see what they would find (and mentally making a note to suggest to Sam that he hire a better cleaning service).</p><p>Jon was so focused on Ghost, he didn’t look up until they rounded the corner—and a half-naked woman shrieked in unholy terror. Equally startled, Jon jumped back with a mortifying yelp. His target acquired, Ghost started barking, tail wagging furiously. The half-naked woman screamed again.</p><p>“Ghost!” Jon yelled, and the woman lunged toward the nearby kitchenette. His eyes widened when she snatched a kitchen knife from the knife block, and he held his hands up to defend himself. “Whoa! <em>Whoa</em>!”</p><p>“Get away from me!” she shouted, brandishing the knife wildly in his direction.</p><p>“What the hell, lady!” Jon scuttled backward to put more distance between himself and the knife. “You could hurt somebody!”</p><p>“That’s the point!”</p><p>Ghost ducked low to the ground, his butt wiggling high in the air as he growled and barked at her. Naturally, he thought this was just a game.</p><p>“Seven hells, you’re gonna cut my dog with that fucking thing!”</p><p>The woman jabbed the knife toward him. “Then call him off and get the hell out of my cabin!”</p><p>His head snapped back. “<em>Your </em>cabin? I don’t bloody think so—this is my friend Sam Tarly’s cabin!”</p><p>Her face—pretty as it admittedly was, from what his brain could vaguely register given the heightened tensions of the moment—flickered with recognition. Then she scowled and tightened her grip on the knife handle. “I know that! But I’m renting it, so right now it’s mine! And you’re trespassing! I’m going to call the Watch if you don’t leave, right now!”</p><p>Jon snorted. Loudly. “Aye, good luck with that! Assuming you can even get cell service this high up in the Vale, you’ll be lucky if those useless bastards get here before nightfall! Plenty of time for me to do whatever it is you think I’m going to do and still get the hell out of here.” That was <em>definitely </em>the wrong thing to say. Her face turned ashen, and Jon held his hands up again, immediately backtracking. “Which I’m <em>not</em>! Going to do anything to you, I mean!”</p><p>Ghost was still barking and dancing around, making Jon’s head pound. “Bloody hell, Ghost, <em>enough</em>!” he snapped. Instantly, Ghost’s ears flattened, and he abandoned his game with the woman to dart to his owner’s side, seeking reassurance.</p><p>Tiredly, Jon scrubbed a hand down his face. “You said you rented this cabin from Sam?” he asked, grateful to be speaking at a normal volume, at least. Warily, the woman nodded, still holding the knife up between them. “I’m sorry, but that can’t be possible,” Jon continued, trying to ignore his increasing awareness that she was only wrapped in a small towel, her hair wet and tousled as if she’d just emerged from the shower. She spoke the Common Tongue but with just the faintest hint of an accent he couldn’t quite place. “I rented this cabin from him for the week. You must have gotten your dates mixed up.”</p><p>At that, she glowered ferociously at him. “I certainly did <em>not</em>. <em>You </em>must have gotten your dates mixed up. I’ve been here since yesterday!”</p><p>He shook his head stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. “No. I just talked to Sam yesterday. He didn’t mention a damn thing about you. He said I could use his cabin this week explicitly <em>because </em>it hadn’t been booked yet.”</p><p>“That’s what he told me!” she said hotly, and Jon growled, feeling his frustration grow.</p><p>“Who even <em>are </em>you? Sam is my best friend, and I’ve never seen you before in my life! How do you know him well enough to be staying at his cabin?”</p><p>A faint blush colored her face. “My great-uncle. Aemon Targaryen. They work together or something. I don’t know Sam personally. I was—I was looking for a place, and Uncle Aemon connected me to him.”</p><p>Aemon. Jon knew the man, too. He could see the resemblance, he supposed. Violet eyes, silver hair—though, with Aemon, Jon had just assumed it was that color because of old age. Seeming to notice the way Jon was checking her out, the woman’s blush deepened. She wrapped her arm around her front, clutching at the towel, and leveled the knife at him in warning.</p><p>Jon shook his head, trying to focus. “There’s no other car out front. How did you even get here?”</p><p>She huffed. “I booked a rideshare. I don’t own a car. I—haven’t been here long,” she said defensively.</p><p>“Look.” Jon was at his wit’s end. “I’m sorry, but you made a mistake. I cleared this with Sam a while ago; he often lets me borrow his cabin, and I need to get some writing done. So, as I’ve got a deadline coming up, you’re going to have to go,” he said, maybe a bit too harshly because she flinched.</p><p><em>“What?</em>” she cried indignantly. “I didn’t make a mistake, <em>you </em>did! And—besides, I don’t have a car! How do you expect me to just pick up and leave?”</p><p>“Call a rideshare,” he suggested flippantly, and she glared at him.</p><p>“How? You just said there’s no cell service.”</p><p>His agitation spiking, he carded his hands through his hair. “Bloody hell, I don’t know! I don’t care <em>how </em>you leave, but I can’t write with you here—”</p><p>“Then <em>you</em> leave<em>,</em>” she retorted, and he felt his face flush hotter.</p><p>“Not a chance in hell, sweetheart.” At that, her eyes flashed murderously. Probably not smart to piss off a woman wielding a knife, but Jon didn’t really give a fuck right then. Angrily, he dug his phone out of his pocket. “Let’s just call Sam and clear this up right now, shall we?”</p><p>Rolling her eyes, she waited while he scrolled through his contacts list. Bringing up Sam Tarly’s contact, he tapped on it, but of course every time he tried, the call dropped. He checked his phone screen. <em>No Service,</em> it taunted him. “Fucking hell,” he barked, pacing around the living room with his phone held high, trying to find a spot with at least one bar of service. When that failed, he shot off a text. It, too, failed to deliver.</p><p>“Fuck!” he cursed at his useless phone. With a huff, he told her, “I’ll have to send him an email on the WiFi and hope he checks his email soon. Otherwise, I guess we’ll just have to wait until we hear something from him.”</p><p>Her eyes widened. “What? No, no way. You’re not staying in here while I’m here! That’s—that’s borderline assault!”</p><p>He gaped at her. “<em>What? </em>How the fuck do you figure <em>that</em>?!”</p><p>Her face went red again. “Well—you’re a strange man who just walked into a woman’s dwelling while she’s half-dressed! Who refuses to leave! That’s gotta be something illegal!”</p><p>With all the tense back-and-forth, Ghost had started whimpering in distress. Jon pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off the mounting headache. “You’re the one threatening me and my dog with a knife, lady.”</p><p>“Gods, will you stop calling me <em>lady</em>?” she snapped.</p><p>Dropping his hand, he made a face at her. “What’s wrong with lady?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but the way you say it, it’s just insulting!”</p><p>Aggravated, he managed to choke back a number of insults in response. “<em>Fine</em>. What do you want me to call you? Aemon Targaryen’s niece?”</p><p>She gave a sniff. “My name is Daenerys. Or Dany, if that’s too <em>exotic </em>for you.”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Jon turned away from her and crossed to the couch to unzip his duffle bag. It was probably unwise to turn his back on a woman threatening him with a knife, but he trusted Ghost to protect him. Still, he hurried to pull his laptop out and balanced it on his hand while he cracked it open.</p><p>“What are you doing?” she demanded.</p><p>“Emailing Sam, like I said,” he told her as he connected to the WiFi with the password he had memorized: <em>Gillyflower</em>, for Sam’s fiancée. Clearly, Sam was a besotted romantic who needed better password security.</p><p>“You never told me your name,” Daenerys said as he shot off a very short, very terse, very expletive-filled email to Sam.</p><p>Bloody hell, this was the slowest internet connection in all of Westeros. Once the email finally sent, Jon snapped his laptop shut. “It’s Jon.” Tossing his laptop on the coffee table, he plopped down on the couch. Ghost took it as his signal to join him, jumping up beside him.</p><p>Daenerys gawked at him. “What are you doing now? Why are you sitting down?”</p><p>He shrugged, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. “Waiting to hear back from Sam. As both of us refuse to leave, we’re just going to have to wait to see what he decides.” He flashed her a hard smile, eyes flickering over her. “You might want to take this time to make yourself, <em>ah</em>, more presentable.”</p><p>Face flushing, Daenerys glowered at him once more before spinning on her heel and stomping down the tiny hall to the lone bedroom. Despite himself, Jon couldn’t keep his eyes from dropping to her bare legs, the towel snug around her arse. When she slammed the door shut behind her, he jumped guiltily. Then he heaved out a sigh and turned to Ghost, finally giving him the pets he was patiently waiting for.</p><p>“I’m going to kill Sam for this,” Jon muttered as Ghost nudged his nose into his palm.</p>
<hr/><p>Jon didn’t get a reply from Sam until near dusk. While he waited, he’d brought in his cooler, full of food he’d stocked up on before driving up the mountain; once he was at the cabin, he didn’t want to have to drive an hour just to find civilization. His plan was to buckle down and write without distraction, maybe enjoy a few hikes with Ghost if time allowed.</p><p>Of course, that plan was shot to hell now. After Daenerys disappeared into the bedroom, he didn’t see her again; he was pretty sure he heard her turn the lock on the door, too, which grated. Like he was some bloody predator! OK, sure, he could understand how unsettling it might be for a stranger and his large dog to walk in on her, just out of the shower. And, admittedly, Jon hadn’t done a <em>whole</em> lot to ease her worries.</p><p><em>Still</em>. It was fucking insulting.</p><p>Sulking, Jon had tried to go about his day as if nothing was out of the ordinary, stocking the fridge and cabinets with the food he’d brought, plus a hefty-sized bag of dog food for Ghost. Daenerys had already filled the kitchenette with her own provisions, paltry as they were: yogurts, bananas, granola bars and frozen pizzas. Seven hells, did she think they were living in a dorm?</p><p>Since he was apparently barred from the bedroom, Jon couldn’t unpack his duffle bag. Not that he’d brought much with him. Just enough clothes to skate by on for a week, plus his hiking boots and his laptop.</p><p>At one point, Jon took his laptop out onto the front porch and posted up in a rocking chair. Popping a cigarette between his lips, he hurled a stick out into the woods. Ghost took off after it like a shot, easily hunting it down. When he brought it back, he stopped short of taking it to Jon, instead dropping down next to him to chew on it. Ghost had never quite mastered the “fetch” command.</p><p>“Bloody useless,” Jon muttered before lighting his cigarette. Ghost paused in his chewing to give him <em>A Look</em>. “Don’t judge me like that. I know I said I’d quit, but after this afternoon, I think I’ve earned one.”</p><p>Ghost went back to demolishing his stick, and Jon opened his laptop to bring up his incomplete manuscript. His editor, Davos, was expecting it at the end of the month. Which was in precisely seven days. And Jon still had approximately twenty-thousand words to write. Completely doable, he assured himself.</p><p>Except his cursor only blinked at him mockingly, his mind blanking every time he looked at the page. As his thoughts drifted, he found himself obsessively navigating to his inbox to check each new junk email that came in, trashing each one that wasn’t from Sam.</p><p>Through the sheer curtain on the window, he saw movement. Daenerys had emerged from hiding, warily entering the kitchenette. She was dressed now, at least, in shorts and a long-sleeved shirt. She glanced around as if looking for him, and through the window, she spotted him. Jon lifted a hand in a sarcastic wave. Turning her nose up, she spun away from him and grabbed a banana from the counter to peel it.</p><p>He was getting hungry, too. He’d not eaten since breakfast because he’d been driving all day. Winterfell was a good distance from the Vale.</p><p>Just then, his email dinged with a new message, drawing his attention. This time, it was from Sam. <em>About bloody time.</em> Eagerly, Jon opened it, his stomach dropping as he read.</p><p>
  <em>Oh no! Jon I’m so sorry! Aemon had asked me for a favor with his niece, if I could give her somewhere to stay, just for a little bit. I did it off the books, so I didn’t put her on the calendar. And since I didn’t put you on the calendar either, it just completely slipped my mind when you asked to borrow the place for the week. You know how busy I’ve been between work and planning the wedding! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know it’s weird, but is it too much trouble for you two to share? The couch pulls out, you can always crash on that. Otherwise one of you’ll have to get a hotel room I suppose, but I’d hate to have to tell Aemon I ran his niece off when she’s only just gotten to Westeros…</em>
</p><p>Jon’s jaw dropped open. He couldn’t believe it. His so-called best friend was trying to give him the shove-off!</p><p>He shot off a quick reply: <em>No I can’t just leave! How the hell am I going to finish this bloody book in a hotel room? I could have just stayed home for that!</em></p><p>With a huff, Jon slammed his laptop shut and stalked inside, Ghost obediently following him. Daenerys startled and spun around to face him, her mouth stuffed full with banana.</p><p>“I just heard from Sam,” he announced without preamble. “He double-booked.”</p><p>She swallowed the food in her mouth. “<em>And</em>? Did he say who has dibs?”</p><p>Well—Jon supposed he did, in a sense. But like hell he was going to be the one leaving. Tightening his jaw, he set his laptop on the coffee table. “He suggested we share it.”</p><p>Her eyes widened comically. “He can’t be serious! I don’t even know you!”</p><p>“I’m not exactly thrilled about it either,” he shot back through gritted teeth. “For all I know, you’re a bloody serial killer.”</p><p>She let out a bark of indignation. “<em>Me?</em>”</p><p>“Well, you did look pretty comfortable waving that knife around,” he reminded her, and her face reddened.</p><p>“Yeah, and I put it under my pillow, in case you think of trying anything,” she said, leveling him with a gimlet-eyed glare.</p><p>Jon rolled his eyes. “Relax. I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”</p><p>She shook her head. “No way am I staying in this cabin with you.”</p><p>“Oh? So you’re offering to leave then?”</p><p>She huffed. “You’re the one with the car. <em>You </em>should leave.”</p><p>Now he was the one to bark out loud. “Have you seen these mountain cliffs? Driving down them in broad daylight is one thing. In the dead of night? No, I’m not keen on dying tonight, thank you.”</p><p>“So you’ll leave in the morning?” she challenged, eyebrow raised.</p><p>He gnashed his teeth. “<em>Look</em>, as much as it pains me to spend my holiday in a cramped cabin with you, I’ve got a manuscript I desperately need to finish. So unless you decide to find somewhere else to crash, I guess we’re stuck here together for the next week.”</p><p>At the word <em>manuscript,</em> the tightness in her face relaxed, just slightly. He could tell she was curious but too stubborn to inquire further. After a minute, she huffed. “Fine. We should set some ground rules then.”</p><p>She had some nerve, he’d give her that. He folded his arms over his chest. “Like what?”</p><p>“Obviously, we have to share the bathroom and the kitchen. But the bedroom is mine. That means it’s off limits to you.” She shot Ghost a suspicious look. “And your dog.”</p><p>“You’re not even going to offer to alternate the bedroom with me?” he asked accusingly.</p><p>For a second, she looked guilty. Then she folded her arms over her chest, too, mirroring him. “I would <em>hope </em>you’d understand that as a woman, sleeping in a cabin with a man I don’t know is extremely uncomfortable, and I’d feel a lot safer if I could put a door between us while I sleep.”</p><p>Dammit, she had a point. Grudgingly, he relented, “Fine. But that means the living room is <em>my</em> space, and you’re not allowed in it.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “Can I at least walk through it to get out the door?”</p><p>Jon pretended to think it over. “I suppose I can allow it.”</p><p>At her responding huff, he bit back a smile. “Thank you <em>ever so much</em>,” she said sarcastically, then she turned to the fridge, grabbed a yogurt and a spoon from the drawer, and stalked back into the bedroom.</p><p>“My food’s off limits, too,” he called after her. Turning in the doorway, she shot him a scowl.</p><p>“I don’t want your food.” With that, she shut the door, none too gently.</p><p>He snorted. “Aye, we’ll see about that.” He shared a look with Ghost, who appeared perplexed by the whole exchange. “Watch. She’ll be begging to eat my food in no time,” he boasted. Ghost cocked his head, and Jon scoffed. “Just you wait. I bet she’ll fold as soon as tomorrow.” With that, he made his dog shake on it.</p>
<hr/><p>Jon’s alarm went off at seven a.m. sharp. Being on holiday, he’d usually try to sleep in longer, but unfortunately there was no rest for the weary, not if he wanted to make deadline.</p><p>With a grunt, he turned off his alarm and threw his phone across the bed, wincing when the metal bar dug into his back as he rolled over. The pull-out couch had been about as comfortable as sleeping on a bed of rocks. It was a miracle he’d slept at all, considering how loudly the bloody thing squeaked every time he shifted. It would probably be more comfortable to just sleep on the narrow couch and forgo the pull-out entirely.</p><p>Sighing, Jon sat up and tossed his blanket aside. As he stood, Ghost, who’d been curled up at the foot of the bed, lifted his head to watch him shuffle through the living room to the bathroom. Jon had almost forgotten about his unwelcome housemate until he looked at the closed bedroom door. For a brief, sleep-fogged moment, he panicked, frantically patting himself down and only relaxing once he confirmed he was, indeed, wearing clothes. Normally, he slept nude, but considering Daenerys was allegedly still armed, he’d made sure to put on a pair of sweatpants before going to bed.</p><p>After relieving himself, Jon quietly went about making coffee in the kitchenette, hoping not to disturb Daenerys. The longer she slept in, the better. Maybe he’d actually be able to sit outside and get some writing done before she made an appearance.</p><p>Once the coffee finished brewing, he poured himself a cup. Then, shoving his feet into his bedroom slippers, he whistled softly to Ghost, who jumped down from the bed to follow him outside. Jon swung the front door open—and was immediately greeted by the sight of black Lycra stretched taut over two perfectly shaped arse cheeks.</p><p>“Whoa.” Taken aback, he jumped slightly, coffee splattering on the porch. Mercifully, he just missed his slippers.</p><p>With a gasp, Daenerys fell out of downward-facing dog and collapsed in a heap on her yoga mat. Quickly, she scrambled to her feet. “What the hell? Can’t you knock?” she hissed at him, her face bright red. Ghost bounded out onto the porch and down the steps, darting into the wooded area to find a good spot to do his morning business.</p><p>Jon blinked at Daenerys, his sluggish brain still not quite awake enough to offer up a response. Her hair, which he could tell was a shade of silver-blonde now that it was dry, was pulled up in a messy bun. She was dressed in black leggings and a colorful sports bra, and, judging by her trim, toned stomach, she was definitely someone who worked out regularly.</p><p>Fucking hell. It seemed unfair she should be both annoying <em>and</em> the most gorgeous woman he’d ever laid eyes on.</p><p>“Knock? To go outside?” he finally responded, his voice husky with sleep. Despite his grudging appreciation of her beauty, he tried to infuse his tone with as much disdain as possible. “Sorry, didn’t realize you got dibs on the outdoors, too.”</p><p>It was only then he realized he was still shirtless, a fact she seemed to take note of, too, her gaze lingering on his bare chest. He knew he had nothing whatsoever to be ashamed about, but even so, he found himself flexing his pecs and ab muscles.</p><p>Her face reddened even more, and she folded her arms over her chest self-consciously. Her breasts strained against her sports bra, the soft swells pressing together and deepening her cleavage. Gods, he wished she wouldn’t do that. His sweatpants offered little in the way of concealment.</p><p>“I like to do yoga with the sunrise. It relaxes me,” she explained in a mutter. “What are you doing awake so early?”</p><p>He shrugged with more indifference than he felt, side-stepping her for the rocking chair. “This is just what time I get up. Is that OK with you?” She rolled her eyes as he sat down. Settling in, he realized she was staring at him incredulously. “Please. Don’t let me stop you,” he drawled, gesturing for her to continue before he carefully sipped his coffee.</p><p>Lips pursed, Daenerys huffed through her nose and turned away from him. Doing her best to ignore him, she went back into downward-facing dog, or whatever the hell they called it. Jon preferred lifting weights and running; his knowledge of yoga only extended to poses that also doubled as sexual positions.</p><p>As he watched Ghost a short distance away, still exploring, he found his gaze stubbornly drifting back to Daenerys. It was hard not to watch; she was very—well, <em>flexible</em>.</p><p>When she went into some kind of impossible standing split, he averted his gaze before he could embarrass himself, drinking his coffee so fast, he burned his tongue. Thankfully, she went through the rest of her yoga routine fairly quickly, probably quicker than normal, because soon she was rolling up her mat and darting inside without another word to him.</p><p>“There’s coffee in the pot if you want it,” he found himself calling after her. Maybe he felt bad for interrupting her workout. And basically ogling her during it.</p><p>She seemed to falter in surprise, looking back at him. “Thought you said I couldn’t have your food,” she said suspiciously.</p><p>“Coffee’s not food; it’s sustenance,” he said with a shrug. With a curt nod of her head, she shut the door, with far less force than he suspected she’d been intending to use before his offering.</p><p>Well. If they were stuck with each other for a week, it was better to come to some sort of truce, he supposed.</p>
<hr/><p>After another cup of coffee and a cigarette, Jon went inside and cooked up some eggs and bacon for a quick breakfast (of course, Ghost got his own slice of bacon), then he took a shower. Daenerys had showered recently, he could smell it; the bathroom was fragrant with florals and a hint of citrus. <em>Gods</em>. It was strangely arousing. He’d forgotten how pleasant the bathroom smelled after a woman showered; his last live-in girlfriend had been a while ago at this point.</p><p>Not that this situation was at all comparable, of course. Daenerys was nothing but a nuisance commandeering half his rented cabin.</p><p>When he finished in the bathroom, he could hear Daenerys in the bedroom, listening to music. What was she doing in there? Reading? Working out some more? From his own experience, there wasn’t a lot of space to do much of anything in the bedroom, other than the obvious, anyway.</p><p>As he’d planned, Jon took his laptop out onto the porch to write, with Ghost for his companion. As his dog lolled on his back in the sun, Jon checked his email, seeing he’d gotten a reply from Sam after his last angry missive.</p><p>
  <em>I’m sorry Jon! I’ll refund you your money, of course, as it was totally my fault. You can stay there free of charge.</em>
</p><p>Now that he’d slept on it, Jon felt kind of bad for being such a prick to his friend. Sam always gave him a very good deal for using his cabin, only charging him the cost of getting the cleaning service to come out there after his stay. It had just been an oversight, really, a mistake anyone could make. Sam <em>was </em>under a lot of stress lately. Jon was, too.</p><p><em>Don’t worry about it mate, you can keep the money. Daenerys and I can make it work</em>, he replied. With that taken care of, he opened his manuscript and all his notes. Last night he’d only managed a thousand words or so, and even that had been like pulling teeth. He’d been too distracted to write much, stewing over the cabin mix-up. Now that he’d cooled off a little, he got to work, hoping the words would flow more freely today.</p><p>It was late morning when the front door opened, startling him and Ghost both. Looking up from his laptop, he saw Daenerys step out onto the porch, dressed in the same leggings from before, but this time she’d put a muscle shirt on over her sports bra. Additionally, she was wearing sneakers and a backpack.</p><p>“Going for a hike?” he asked, and she stopped short, seeming reluctant to converse with him.</p><p>“Yes,” she answered, reaching up to tighten her ponytail. It sat high on her head and was braided down her back, the tail hanging between her shoulder blades. “This is my first time in the Vale. Thought I’d explore a little.”</p><p>He frowned. “Your first time? These trails are pretty advanced,” he said cautiously, and she scowled at him.</p><p>“I’ve gone hiking before. In fact, I’ve hiked the Bone Mountains in Essos, more than once. They’re the tallest mountains in the world. And definitely not for amateurs.”</p><p>He scowled, too. “Well, I don’t know anything about the Bone Mountains, but I do know these mountains. There are shadowcats and cave bears all throughout these parts.”</p><p>“Well, thank you for your concern,” she said, not sounding at all grateful. “But I’ve got bear spray on me, so I’m sure I’ll be fine.”</p><p>With that, she jogged down the steps and turned right, marching past his car to pick up the start of the trail on the other side of the narrow dirt road. Jon watched until she disappeared into the woods then shook his head. “Gonna get herself bloody killed,” he muttered to himself. Ghost wagged his tail, whimpering slightly as he stared in the direction she had gone, still able to see her long after Jon’s eyesight failed him.</p><p>Fine; if she was so unconcerned about her well-being, what did he care? He turned back to his laptop, determined to complete at least another thousand words before breaking for lunch.</p>
<hr/><p>It was nearing three in the afternoon, and Daenerys still wasn’t back from her hike. As he wrote, Jon tried, and failed, to push her from his thoughts. Eventually, he gave up the pretense of writing and settled for chain smoking as he knocked back a beer, hoping to soothe his agitated nerves.</p><p>Seven hells, he didn’t even know this woman; why should he be this worried about her?</p><p>Because she was still a person—a pain in the arse, maybe, but still deserving of his compassion. He should have gone with her; he knew these trails well enough, and a predator was less likely to attack a pair of hikers than someone completely alone.</p><p>Jon had just made up his mind to put on his hiking boots and go looking for her when Ghost suddenly perked up, getting to his feet. Jon followed his line of sight across the road; there, he saw Daenerys emerge from the woods—and in one piece, surprisingly.</p><p>“Bloody hell,” he sighed in relief, sagging against the porch railing. His heart was actually racing. What the hell was wrong with him? Annoyed with his reaction, he found himself itching to pick a fight with her, just to work out his frustration.</p><p>“You know, when you go hiking alone in an unfamiliar forest, the least you can do is tell someone what time you plan on being back,” he snapped once she was in earshot, like he was scolding a child.</p><p>Her head reared back in surprise. “OK, <em>dad</em>,” she retorted as she came up the steps. He glared at her.</p><p>“It’s just common decency. So people don’t have to waste all afternoon wondering if you’ve been mauled by a bloody shadowcat and left for dead on the mountainside,” he said harshly, and she stopped on the porch. As she looked at him, the annoyance in her face softened.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she said with less bite than before. “I didn’t expect you to care.”</p><p>Now he just felt foolish. “Contrary to my behavior so far, I’m not a <em>complete </em>arsehole,” he muttered.</p><p>Ghost came up to Daenerys to sniff her. She held out her hand, and when he didn’t pull away, she tentatively scratched his head. “Well. I’ll try to give you an ETA next time,” she told Jon. Then, sheepishly, she admitted, “I didn’t mean to be gone that long. I...got a little lost on the trails. But I found this little waterfall. It was very peaceful.”</p><p>He nodded, not feeling overly victorious in being right. “Aye, that’s a nice spot.”</p><p>“You hike around here a lot?” she asked, still petting Ghost, who was absolutely eating it up. Any time she tried to stop, he nudged her hand to get her to start again.</p><p>Jon sipped his beer. “I’ve hiked this mountain some. I’m more familiar with the mountains up north.”</p><p>She nodded, hesitating. “Is that where you’re from?”</p><p>He grunted in affirmation. “You couldn’t tell by the accent?”</p><p>She smiled faintly. “I guess my ears are better tuned to Essosi accents than Westerosi accents.”</p><p>“Is that where you grew up?” he asked conversationally. Instantly, he knew it was the wrong thing to ask. Her face shuttered, and she lifted her shoulder in a shrug.</p><p>“I grew up all over. I should take a shower,” she said, quickly changing the subject. With one last head pat, Daenerys moved around Ghost and headed for the door.</p><p>Confused by her drastic mood shift, Jon spoke before she could disappear, “If you want to go hiking again, let me know. Or at least take Ghost with you. He’s a good hiking companion.”</p><p>She looked back at him, hand lingering on the door knob. He thought she’d turn him down, but she surprised him by nodding. “Sure. I’ll let you know.” Then she was gone, shutting the door behind her.</p>
<hr/><p>Jon was in the kitchenette, making dinner, when he saw her again. Around six his laptop had died, so he’d been forced to come inside and charge it. In the meantime, he decided to eat something and got to work chopping vegetables for a stir-fry.</p><p>Yes, he was the type of pretentious prig who brought fresh produce on a holiday. He might smoke and drink, but he at least tried to eat healthy.</p><p>Daenerys emerged from the bedroom while he was pan-frying strips of sirloin. When she appeared, Ghost sat up on the couch. Jon and Daenerys didn’t say anything to each other, just nodded in acknowledgement, but as she moved around him in the small space, she watched him from her periphery. He did the same, watching her open the freezer and take out a gas-station burrito and pop it in the microwave to nuke. Amused, he shook his head but said nothing.</p><p>She waited, staring intently at the microwave as her burrito rotated inside, and Jon added the peppers and onions to the pan, the oil sizzling loudly. It smelled bloody delicious, if he did say so himself.</p><p>Finally, she cracked. “What are you making?”</p><p>“Beef stir-fry.”</p><p>A beat passed. “You like to cook?” she asked.</p><p>“Aye. I find it relaxing,” he said. Her eyebrows lifted when he flipped the vegetables and meat in the pan with an expert flick of his wrist. OK, maybe he was showing off a little now.</p><p>“Looks good,” she mumbled, startling slightly when the microwave beeped. She opened the microwave and took the burrito out, holding the hot plastic wrapper by the corner so she wouldn’t burn herself.</p><p>“That doesn’t look too bad either,” he said, smiling smugly when she cut him a quelling look.</p><p>“I didn’t really have a lot of time to stock up on food before I got here,” she admitted, plopping the burrito down on a plate as he flipped the stir-fry again.</p><p>Seeing the way she stared at her burrito in disappointment, he took pity on her. “You can have some stir-fry if you want,” he offered. When she gave him a wary look, he shrugged. “Up to you. I have more than enough here.”</p><p>He turned off the stove and plated half the stir-fry for himself. At his questioning look, she nodded and held out her plate to him. He nudged the burrito aside with his tongs then dumped the rest out on her plate. “Thanks.”</p><p>He shrugged it off. “Don’t mention it.” When he reached around her to open the fridge, she stiffened, her eyes following his movements. He simply grabbed a beer from a six-pack, then shut the fridge door and sat down at the tiny dining table. From the couch, Ghost barked expectantly, and Jon grabbed a strip of the beef from his plate, tossing it to him. Ghost snatched it out of the air and gobbled it down instantly. He barked again, but Jon gave him a stern look. “No more. Greedy bastard.”</p><p>Daenerys sat down at the other side of the table with her plate. Removing her burrito from the wrapper, she cut it in half and put the other half on his plate. He caught her eyes and smiled. “Thanks.”</p><p>She ducked her head as she tucked into her food, but he caught her brief smile anyway. As they ate in silence, it was a bit awkward, neither quite sure what to say, until she looked at him suddenly, astonishment in her eyes. “This is <em>really </em>good. Are you a professional chef or something?”</p><p>He huffed out a laugh. “Gods, no. But thank you. Guess I just picked up some tricks over the years.”</p><p>She took another bite of the stir-fry. “Right.” Now she looked curious. “You mentioned a manuscript…?” At his nod, she asked, “So you’re a writer?”</p><p>He put his fork down to sip his beer, scratching at his beard. “Aye, though I still feel kind of weird calling myself that. I mean, I’m a reporter, really. That’s what I consider myself. After university, when I first started out, my beat was covering the Night’s Watch and all the bureaucratic bullshit that goes on at the Wall. But while doing my reporting, I started getting to know the Free Folk more, and I found they had so many interesting stories to tell. So I started writing articles about them. Blog posts, really. Initially, my section editor wasn’t too keen on them and just relegated them to the website. But they eventually found an audience, and then somehow they went viral. Earlier this year, they got optioned for a book. A memoir on the Free Folk.”</p><p>He flushed, realizing it sounded like he was blowing smoke up his own arse. She was listening intently though. Clearing his throat, he shrugged. “Anyway, that’s what I’m working on now. Figuring out how to get all my pieces and notes to fit together into one overarching narrative.”</p><p>“Wow,” she said. “Sounds interesting. So, that’s how you know my great-uncle?”</p><p>He nodded. “Sam and I both work at the Northern Chronicles with him. Before he retired, I mean.” While Jon was a reporter, Sam was a graphic designer. Aemon had been the editor-in-chief before Jeor Mormont eventually took over; even retired, he still acted as a mentor to Jon and Sam both.</p><p>“What do you do?” Jon asked, but Daenerys averted her eyes.</p><p>“I’m in between jobs,” she said evasively.</p><p>He racked his brain for something to talk about. “Sam’s email mentioned that you were new to Westeros. How long have you been here?”</p><p>“I just flew in a few days ago,” she said, still not meeting his eyes.</p><p>“Shit.” His mouth twisted sardonically. “I guess I gave you quite a welcome.”</p><p>A smile flickered briefly across her lips. “I wasn’t exactly on my best behavior either.”</p><p>“Are you just visiting, or do you plan to stay?” he asked, and she shrugged, taking a few bites before she answered.</p><p>“I guess I’ll see how it goes. I’m just—trying to get my feet under me. Gotta find a job first.”</p><p>“Surely, Aemon would put you up until you do,” he said, confused.</p><p>“He offered. But I don’t wanna bother him with my stuff.” With that, she finished her dinner in record time, then stood abruptly, empty plate in hand. “Thank you again for dinner. I really appreciate it,” she said sincerely.</p><p>“Don’t mention it,” he murmured as she walked around him to the kitchenette. Rinsing off the plate, she stuck it in the dishwasher then hurriedly disappeared into the bedroom.</p><p>Jon frowned at the closed door. Getting her to open up was harder than talking to the Free Folk, and they were naturally wary of people who weren’t one of their own.</p><p>Bemused, he shook his head and took his time savoring his dinner.</p>
<hr/><p>When his alarm woke him the next morning, immediately Jon knew something was amiss: The familiar weight of Ghost’s head on his leg was missing. Sitting up, he didn’t see his dog at the foot of the couch or anywhere in the living room.</p><p>“Ghost?” he called, confused, and threw the blanket off to get up. On instinct, he headed for the front door. Ghost was just crafty enough to open doors if Jon forgot to lock them. Throwing the door open, he came to an abrupt stop when he found Ghost sitting on the porch steps, next to Daenerys.</p><p>At the disturbance, they both craned their heads around to look at him, Ghost’s tail wagging excitedly at the sight of his owner. Even so, he stayed seated beside her, her hand buried in his white mane.</p><p>He sagged in relief. “There you are, Ghost.”</p><p>Daenerys smiled slightly. “Didn’t mean to worry you. I came out here to do my yoga, and he seemed intent on following me,” she explained, still stroking Ghost’s head. “I figured I’d let him out to pee and send him back inside, but he was content to just sit out here and watch.”</p><p>As she scratched his ear, Ghost’s eyes squinted in pleasure, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Jon stifled a snort. <em>Aye, I bet he was. </em>Shaking his head, Jon stepped out onto the porch. “It’s fine. I hope he didn’t disturb your workout, at least.” Like Jon had done the previous morning.</p><p>“Not really. He did give me some pointers on my downward-facing dog though,” she said, smiling wider when Jon chuckled, the sound deep in his belly. Her gaze lowered, flickering over his bare abs, then she quickly looked away, focusing intently on Ghost.</p><p>Jon cleared his throat. “You want some coffee?”</p><p>“Sure,” she said. Her face looked pink, but maybe she was just flushed from her workout.</p><p>He went inside and started a pot, taking a piss while he waited for the coffee to brew. Once it was done, he poured two cups, then he put on a t-shirt to make things a little less awkward between them, before heading back out onto the porch. When he handed her a cup, she thanked him.</p><p>“You didn’t specify how you take it,” he said, sitting down on the top step on Ghost’s other side. His dog rested his head on his thigh, eyes drifting shut.</p><p>“Black is fine.” She sipped it gingerly and winced. “Whatever blend this is, though, is gods-awful.”</p><p>“Wow,” he said, affronted. “These beans were grown on my uncle’s farm in Winterfell.”</p><p>Daenerys froze, her eyes wide. “Seriously?”</p><p>Jon huffed out a laugh. “No. It’s just a cheap bag I picked up at the store when I was passing through the Twins.” Face relaxing, she rolled her eyes good-naturedly. He grinned. “Sorry, I didn’t realize I’d be sharing a cabin with such a coffee snob.”</p><p>“If you grew up drinking Essosi coffee, you’d be the same way,” she replied, cupping the mug against her chest. She was wearing another sports bra and leggings combo, her silver-blonde hair in a simple side braid. Her feet were bare, and the coral nail polish on her toes was chipping off. She sighed suddenly, jarring him from his surreptitious appraisal. “That’s definitely one thing I miss. Well, that, and my dragons.”</p><p>He blinked. “Sorry—your what?”</p><p>“My dragons. I have three of them,” she explained, laughing at the expression on his face. “Specifically, they’re dragon lizards. Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal. They’re no bigger than my hand, but I swear they each have their own distinct personality. They’re surprisingly affectionate, too. With me, anyway.”</p><p>Perplexed, Jon shook his head. “That’s—a little weird, but OK,” he said with a laugh. “So where are they now?”</p><p>Her expression turned distant. “I had to leave them with my friend, Missandei. She’s the only other person they can tolerate. But getting them through customs would have been a nightmare. Here, dragon lizards are considered wildlife, not pets, and there are all these insane restrictions and fines. I figured I should at least get a place of my own before I attempt to move them.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he said carefully; she tended to clam up when he asked about Essos, so he didn’t want to risk that now. “I’m sure that’s hard. I know I would be lost without Ghost.”</p><p>“It is. Thank you.” She smiled at him gratefully then sipped her coffee.</p><p>“You got any leads on places yet?” he asked, and she shook her head.</p><p>“Not really. I’ve started looking. Dorne looks nice. The King’s Landing area has a lot of job opportunities, but it’s insanely expensive.”</p><p>“Aye, and it smells like shit,” he said, making her laugh in surprise. “I might be biased, but the North is beautiful <em>and</em> cheap. Comparatively speaking.”</p><p>“How’s the job market?” she asked, and he grimaced.</p><p>“Not great, I suppose, but it depends on what you can do. Got any specific skills?”</p><p>“I double majored in languages and international relations,” she answered without hesitation. “When I was in Pentos, I worked with a few human rights advocacy groups.”</p><p>He stared at her. “Well. That’s—hell, that’s impressive.”</p><p>Daenerys gave a haughty sniff. “What, did you think I was just some ditzy foreigner who did nothing but yoga all day?”</p><p>“Of course not,” he said defensively then added, “I thought you were a serial killer.”</p><p>She snorted, laughing. His brain was spinning with ideas now. “I might know some people at the Wall who might have something for you. There’s always tensions between the Free Folk and the Westerosi. They could use more advocates. I can ask around, if you want.”</p><p>She mulled it over then nodded. “Sure. Thank you.” Sipping her coffee, she stood and stretched. Disturbed by her movements, Ghost lifted his head to look at her. Jon did, too, like a bloody Andal. His eyes lingered on the exposed skin of her stomach, the taut muscles flexing. He made himself look away before she could notice his staring. “Well, I think I’m going to explore some more. Thought I’d hike down to the lake this time.” She hesitated, looking at him. “Did you want to come?” she asked uncertainly.</p><p>He blinked in surprise and found himself wanting to accept. Unfortunately, his manuscript was calling to him. Davos had emailed him last night, asking for progress, and Jon wanted to finish a couple more chapters before answering. Ruefully, he shook his head. “I can’t. I really need to get some writing done today.”</p><p>She nodded in understanding. Was it his imagination, or did she seem disappointed? “You can take Ghost with you if you want,” he offered. At his name, Ghost perked up even more. “You won’t have to worry too much about him; he can handle himself on these trails. But if you get lost, he’ll be able to help you find your way back.”</p><p>She smiled. “Sure, sounds fun. Ghost and I are best buds now, aren’t we, buddy?” In answer, Ghost wagged his tail enthusiastically.</p><p>Jon scowled without any real rancor. “Alright, don’t get <em>too </em>attached. He’s still my dog. All I ask is that you return him to me by the end of the day.”</p><p>She just smirked at him as she turned to the door. “We’ll see.”</p>
<hr/><p>Jon was seated on the couch, his laptop open on the coffee table before him, when the cabin door opened. Ghost bounded in first, all but lunging over the coffee table to pounce on the couch next to him.</p><p>“Whoa,” he laughed as his dog began licking his face. He gently pushed Ghost’s snout away to scratch his ear. “Easy. I’m happy to see you, too, but I don’t know where that mouth has been.”</p><p>“Wise decision,” Daenerys said, shutting the door behind her. “Pretty sure he had some trout for lunch, bones and all.”</p><p>Jon groaned. “Well. That explains why he feels a little wet.”</p><p>She shrugged out of her backpack and set it down on the coffee table. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t know if he was allowed to or not, but he was in the water before I could stop him.”</p><p>“There’s no stopping him,” he said, resigned, ruffling Ghost’s damp scruff. “Isn’t that right, boy?”</p><p>“Truthfully, I was a little jealous,” she said wistfully, bending over to unlace her sneakers. She had on shorts and a tank top today, and Jon could see where the sun had kissed her golden skin, warming her shoulders, chest and knees in a dusky pink sunburn. “That water looked refreshing. I was half-tempted to strip and join him, but I didn’t know how many cabins overlook that lake.”</p><p>Well. That was—certainly an image in his head now. Jon focused his gaze on Ghost, trying to ignore the thought of her skinny dipping with his dog—except looking at his dog only made him think about it even more.</p><p>He cleared his throat. “Aye, there are quite a few cabins on this mountain. I imagine you would have found yourself with company before long.”</p><p>She snorted. “Maybe tomorrow, then. Pretty sure I packed a bathing suit. Anyway, I saw storm clouds rolling in, and I didn’t want to get caught in a downpour.”</p><p>“Storm clouds?” Jon got up and crossed to the window, dragging the curtain aside to peer out. Sure enough, the sky had darkened considerably since he’d last been outside; in the distance, he could see the rain over the lake.</p><p>“How’s your writing going?” Daenerys asked, sitting down on the couch next to Ghost.</p><p>Turning away from the window, he scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Guess I made pretty good progress today. Didn’t even realize you’d been gone for that long.”</p><p>She raised her eyebrows. “Gee, thanks.”</p><p>He smiled. “Not that you’re bothering me, otherwise.”</p><p>With a scoff, she leaned back, popping her bare feet up on the coffee table. Ghost shifted around to lay his head across her bare thighs. How did his dog get so comfortable with her so quickly? It was a bloody mystery. “That’s a lie, and we both know it,” she said. “You came here for some solitude, clearly, and instead you found me.”</p><p>“You haven’t been <em>that </em>much of a disturbance,” he replied, sitting down on his side of the couch again. He shut his laptop, deciding he’d written enough for the time being. Ghost only eyeballed him but kept his head on Daenerys’ lap. <em>Traitor.</em> “Ghost is clearly enjoying your being here.”</p><p>Smiling, she scratched the aforementioned traitor’s head. “Do you come here often? To this cabin, I mean?”</p><p>“Aye, I’ve stayed here a few times. At least a couple times a year for the past three years now.”</p><p>“Always alone?” she asked, her gaze fixed on Ghost.</p><p>Jon winced. “Mostly,” he said with a cough, not really wanting to bring up visits here with his ex just then. Usually, it was just him and Ghost making the trip out here, anyway. He found he quite enjoyed the extreme isolation of his time here.</p><p>Seeming to read his mind, Daenerys skipped over the subject. “It does seem like a nice place to be alone and get a little lost for a while,” she mused.</p><p>“Is that why you came?” he asked casually, making sure to not look directly at her so she wouldn’t feel too scrutinized. Still, she seemed reluctant to answer.</p><p>“In a way, yes,” she finally said. He didn’t think she was going to say anymore, but after a moment, she added, “I left a bad situation in Pentos. My ex...well, he wasn’t a good guy. We broke up months ago, but he couldn’t quite accept that things were over.”</p><p>He found himself looking at her now, unable to stop himself. Apprehension made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “Are you safe now?” he asked seriously.</p><p>“Here? Yes.” She shrugged with more flippancy than her words suggested. “He won’t chase me to another continent, at least.”</p><p>Jon blew out a breath. No wonder she had been so skittish around him. He blanched, recalling the things he’d said to her during that first encounter. She would have had every right to shank him that day. “I’m sorry you have to completely uproot your life just to get away from the prick.”</p><p>She was quiet for a moment, petting Ghost in pensive silence. “It sucked at first,” she said. “I don’t have any family left but Uncle Aemon, and he’s too old to deal with my baggage. But maybe it’s for the best. A new adventure. I think I might like it here.” She smiled drolly. “Except for the shit coffee.”</p><p>He huffed out a laugh just as thunder rumbled in the distance. “What about our beer? Do you hate the beer, too?”</p><p>“I haven’t tried any yet,” she admitted. “Truthfully, Essosis prefer their wine to ale.”</p><p>Standing up from the couch, Jon went into the kitchenette and opened the fridge to pull out two bottles of beer. He uncapped both and carried them to the couch where he handed her one as he sat back down. He held his up to her. “Here’s to your first Westerosi beer,” he said. “And to new adventures.”</p><p>With a smile, she cheersed her bottle to his and drank. Almost instantly, she made a face of distaste, making him laugh. “<em>Ugh</em>. Between this and the coffee, I’m seriously questioning your tastes, Jon.”</p><p>He huffed with faux indignation. “Next time, bring your own bloody coffee and beer then.”</p><p>Despite her complaint, she sipped her beer again. “Maybe I’ll have Missandei ship me some of my favorite coffee for you to try.”</p><p>“I doubt I’ll be able to tell a difference,” he said with a shrug. “Once you get used to drinking the sludge they have at the Wall, you stop caring about taste, as long as it wakes you up.”</p><p>Shaking her head, she reached across the couch to touch his arm lightly. Surprised, he glanced at her, finding her expression earnest. “I promise you, once you’ve tasted mine, you’ll never want anything else again.”</p><p>Fucking hell. Why did that sound so dirty? His throat was suddenly dry, so he swigged his beer to wet it, swallowing thickly. “Well,” he said gruffly. “Now I’m afraid you’re just overselling it.”</p><p>With a grin, she only sipped her beer in answer, her violet eyes gleaming mischievously over the bottle.</p>
<hr/><p>The two of them had settled into an easy routine in the cabin; in the mornings, she would do her yoga, and he would make coffee as well as a small breakfast for both of them to eat. Then he would spend most of the day writing, while she went on a hike, usually with Ghost for company. Once she returned, Jon would take a break from his manuscript. He made them dinner, and they enjoyed a couple beers, usually while watching a movie on her laptop in the living room.</p><p>Sam emailed him midweek to ask how things were going (and to apologize yet again). Jon refrained from answering him right away; as it was, Jon wasn’t terribly bothered about the arrangement anymore (even if the couch wasn’t extremely comfortable, it was still better than the pull-out). Even so, Sam could stand to sweat it out, just a little.</p><p>After about five days of nearly non-stop writing, Jon was going a bit stir crazy. He was a physically active person by nature, and without access to a gym or his weights, he was feeling a bit grubby in Daenerys’ presence, especially when she was clearly dedicated to staying active, too.</p><p>“Mind if I join you on your hike today?” he asked as they enjoyed their usual coffee on the porch.</p><p>She looked at him, surprised. “Really? You can take a break from writing?”</p><p>Probably not, but she didn’t need to know that. “One day off should be fine,” he said with a shrug. Daenerys smiled.</p><p>“Of course. Maybe we can go to the lake today. I’ve been meaning to go back.”</p><p>With that decided, they went inside to get changed. Jon shoved some jerky and a water bottle plus some treats for Ghost in his hiking backpack, while Daenerys filled hers up with protein bars and granola. Once they were ready, they set off for the lake, Ghost leading the way, his nose down to the ground, tail straight and alert in the air.</p><p>It took over an hour to climb down the mountainside to reach the lake at the bottom of Strongsong Peak. There were no storm clouds today, the sky overhead clear and blue with only a few puffy clouds crossing in front of the sun. Catching their breath, he and Daenerys sat down on the rocky shore while Ghost frolicked in the water, chasing after little minnows as they darted back and forth through his legs.</p><p>They drank their water and traded their hiking snacks back and forth, but otherwise they sat in silence, just enjoying the view, a mild breeze blowing off the lake. At some point, Ghost left the water behind to come sit between them, the hike having tired him out as well.</p><p>“They have views like this up north?” Daenerys asked him.</p><p>Jon propped his arms up on his bent knees. “Sure. A bit colder, though. There’s this one waterfall me and my cousins used to go to when we were younger. I’ve never seen a prettier sight.”</p><p>“I have to admit Westeros has Essos beat in this regard,” she said. “A lot of Essos is just desert and grasslands.”</p><p>“Wow, are you actually conceding Westerosi supremacy in this one thing?” he joked, and she laughed.</p><p>“Not <em>just </em>this one thing. So far there are a few things I’m enjoying about this place.” She smiled at him, but before he could ask what else, she climbed to her feet, dusting her hands off on her shorts. “I think I’m going to take that swim now. You coming?”</p><p>He watched her shrug out of her top, revealing a red bikini top, the triangles stretched tight over her breasts. They jiggled slightly as she dropped her arms to toss her top aside. “Ah.” What was the question again? Shaking his head clear, he replied, “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”</p><p>She bent over to take off her shoes and socks and shimmied out of her shorts before straightening. At the sight of her skimpy suit bottoms, his mouth went dry. <em>Seven hells.</em> “So? You got boxers on?”</p><p>“Boxer-briefs,” he corrected because the distinction mattered. And they were quite short.</p><p>She shrugged. “Out here, who will be able to tell the difference?”</p><p>She had a point. Amused, he shook his head again and stood. “Guess I can’t argue with that logic.” Tugging off his t-shirt, Jon dropped it on the bank next to his bag. He didn’t miss the way her eyes traveled down his chest as he reached for his fly, unzipping his shorts and bending over to push them down. When he straightened, she was chewing on her bottom lip, but she whipped away from him so quickly, he couldn’t be sure of what he’d actually seen. As she marched to the waterline, Ghost jumped up to follow her, shooting ahead of her to splash into the water. Her bikini bottoms had ridden up between her arse cheeks, just barely. He bit back a groan, discreetly adjusting himself through his boxer-briefs while her back was turned.</p><p>When he reached her side again, she waded into the water but stopped abruptly with a hiss. “Bloody hell, it’s <em>cold</em>.”</p><p>“It’s worse if you go slowly,” he told her, passing her to venture farther out into the water. It <em>was</em> bloody cold, but mountain water always was. “Best to just jump in and get it over with.”</p><p>To demonstrate, he dove forward, disappearing into the water. The cold was a shock, his limbs and muscles locking tightly, but almost immediately the shock and numbness began to fade, and he broke through the surface with a gasp, flinging his hair back from his face.</p><p>Daeanerys looked unconvinced, the water lapping only as high as her knees. Her arms were wrapped around her stomach, her nipples stiff points against her top. “Ugh. This is not as refreshing as I thought it would be.”</p><p>He laughed. “Just the other day you were ready to skinny dip, and now you’re chickening out?” Without warning, he lunged toward her, grabbing her by the waist to drag her out into the depths of the lake. With a scream, she lost her balance and crashed through the water, her head disappearing under the surface before she immediately popped back up, her braid plastered down her back.</p><p>“What the fuck!” she gasped, outraged. “Fucking hell, it’s cold as shit! What the fuck, Jon!”</p><p>Jon laughed again. “Just give it a minute. I promise you’ll acclimate.” He tugged her down farther under the water so she wouldn’t be standing in the breeze and—hell, so he wouldn’t have to keep looking at her tits. By all accounts, they were fucking perfect, and the cold water could only work so much magic on his erection.</p><p>Ghost paddled up to them, head bobbing above the water. Jon got his arms under him, bracing his hind legs on his forearms, and launched him into the air. Ghost’s tail helicoptered happily before he plunged into the water, disappearing completely, then he popped back up to the surface, immediately paddling back to Jon. He pawed at Jon’s chest, begging for another boost. Jon laughed. “No, that’s it, boy.”</p><p>“That is the strangest dog I’ve ever met,” Daenerys remarked, wonder in her voice.</p><p>Jon looked at her, seeing she was now treading water next to him. “See, told you it would start feeling better soon.”</p><p>She huffed. Water droplets dotted her cheeks like freckles and clung to her spiked lashes. “You weren’t even going to come in, and now you’re an expert.”</p><p>“I didn’t intend to go swimming <em>this time</em>. I’ve been in this lake many times before. Trust me, it’s nowhere near as cold as the lakes up north.”</p><p>“You’re not doing much to recommend the North to me right now.”</p><p>“Well, at least in the North, the water’s too cold for krakens to survive in,” he said casually, swimming backward. Her eyes widened.</p><p>“You’re fucking with me.” He only smiled mysteriously, and she gasped, following him in the water. “Stop! I know you’re fucking with me.”</p><p>He finally laughed. “Relax. Krakens only live in the Summer and Sunset seas. At most, we only have to worry about lampreys in this lake.”</p><p>“How is that less scary?” she demanded.</p><p>Jon shrugged. “They only eat humans if they’re starving.”</p><p>Eyes narrowing indignantly, she slapped her hand against the water, sending a wave of water over his head. “Hey!” he sputtered laughingly, wiping the water from his eyes. “Believe me, I wouldn’t let Ghost in these waters if I was worried. They’d be more likely to attack him than us.”</p><p>“No wonder he wants to go with me everywhere, if you’re just using him as lamprey-bait,” she accused, twisting around in the water to hunt down said dog, who had swam farther out into the lake. “Look what you’ve done. You hurt his feelings, and now he’s trying to get away from you.” Raising her voice, she called to him, “Don’t worry, Ghost, you can come live with me.”</p><p>Indignant, Jon growled. “Don’t turn my dog against me!” Some distance away, Ghost climbed up onto a floating swim platform and gave a full body shake, sending water flying everywhere. Then he flopped down on his belly to bathe in the sun, oblivious to their argument.</p><p>“He clearly likes me best now,” Daenerys said smugly. Which was probably true, given how much Ghost followed her around lately. Not that Jon could blame the poor bastard for being smitten with her. Still, some things were just off limits—like a man’s best friend.</p><p>He narrowed his eyes at her. “You know, I lied about the lampreys.” She furrowed her brow, regarding him warily. “They’re not the only thing you have to worry about in this water.”</p><p>At the danger in his tone, she tensed, and a split second later, he lunged through the water for her. She let out a small squeal as she dove away from him, slipping through his grasp. “Jon! Don’t you dare!” she hollered, pumping her arms and legs furiously to swim away from him. He followed her toward the platform, his arms stroking through the water as he swam after her at a more leisurely pace. She hit the platform first, hurriedly scrambling up the ladder, water pouring off of her. Gasping for air, she whirled around just as he reached the platform.</p><p>“What?” he said innocently when she glared at him. With a huff, she sat down cross-legged next to Ghost, who was unconcerned with their antics.</p><p>“You’re an arsehole,” she accused, still catching her breath. Not even the slightest bit winded, Jon bypassed the ladder and pulled himself out of the lake, twisting around to sit on the edge of the platform, his legs dangling in the water.</p><p>“I was just enjoying a swim,” he said, craning his head around to look at her. He grinned. “Why? What did you think I was going to do?”</p><p>She only glowered at him in response then lay down next to Ghost to sunbathe with him. In her red bikini, she looked like a vision. Forcing his eyes away, Jon closed them and stretched out on his back, too, legs still hanging over the side.</p><p>“Don’t fall asleep or you’ll burn,” she warned him, and he scoffed.</p><p>“I put sunscreen on before we left, but thanks, <em>mum</em>.”</p><p>“OK, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said, then he heard her mutter to Ghost, “His lily-white Northern skin is going to fry up to a crisp.”</p>
<hr/><p>Jon did in fact doze off for a bit, lulled by the warmth of the sun and the sounds of the lake around them. When he awoke, he was immediately aware of the spots he'd missed with the sunscreen. Apparently not one to miss an opportunity to gloat, Daenerys pressed a finger to a red spot on his shoulder.</p><p>“<em>Ouch</em>, that looks like it hurts,” she said, her eyes dancing. It did, actually, and he playfully swatted her hand away.</p><p>They swam back to shore, Ghost following after them, and took a moment to air-dry before pulling their clothes back on. They ate the rest of their snacks and zipped the trash up in their bags, then they began their hike back to the cabin.</p><p>It was a steep climb, made more exhausting by the swim and the afternoon nap. Ghost, in his boundless energy, was happy to lead the way. Jon and Daenerys hiked side by side on the trail, Jon taking the outside edge just in case.</p><p>They were almost back to the cabin when Ghost stopped suddenly, his tail sticking straight out behind him. He gave a low, angry growl, and Jon frowned. “What’s the matter—”</p><p>As he glanced up, the question died in his throat. Just ahead of them, a large cave bear ambled onto the trail. Ghost growled again, his ears back and teeth bared in a snarl. Jon and Daenerys froze. “Ghost, don’t,” Jon hissed, heart in his throat. The bear grunted, shuffling closer to them.</p><p>“Jon,” Daenerys gasped. He reached his arm in front of her, slowly pushing her behind him. She grabbed onto his waist.</p><p>“Dany, give me the bear spray,” he said in a low voice, not taking his eyes off the bear.</p><p>“I don’t—I don’t have any,” she whispered, her lips barely moving. His heart stopped.</p><p>“What do you mean? You said—”</p><p>“I lied!” she whispered. “You were being patronizing, and it pissed me off, so I lied about being able to protect myself! I don’t even know where to buy bear spray!”</p><p>Ghost growled louder, hunching lower to the ground, and Jon went cold all over, his chest tightening with dread. He knew Ghost would protect him, even if it meant taking on a bear three times his size and getting himself ripped to shreds in the process. “Ghost—<em>no</em>—”</p><p>Before Ghost could lunge, however, Daenerys darted forward instead, waving her arms over her head. “Hey! Bear!” she yelled loudly. “<em>Hey</em>! Go away! <em>Go</em>!”</p><p>Rooted to his spot, Jon gaped at her in sheer horror. Even Ghost seemed startled as she continued thrashing her arms wildly, shouting at the bear. With a moan, it reared back on its hind legs, towering over Daenerys. Jon was just about to throw himself in front of her, when the bear abruptly turned away and galloped back into the woods.</p><p>Neither Jon nor Daenerys moved for a second as they watched the bear disappear into the trees. Finally, Jon’s heart kick-started again, and he let out a gasping breath, grabbing his chest. “What the fuck was that?!” he whisper-yelled at her, and she spun around, her face pale.</p><p>“I don’t know! It’s what I read online,” she answered honestly, her voice shaking. “After you warned me about them, I looked up cave bears, and it said if you run into one, you should try to make yourself bigger than it and yell really loudly to scare it off.”</p><p>Jon could only gawk at her. “Fucking <em>hell</em>, Dany, are you <em>mad</em>? You could have gotten yourself killed!”</p><p>Color rushed to her face. “I didn’t want the bear to hurt Ghost!” she retorted angrily.</p><p>Shaking his head, Jon grabbed her hand and barked out a command to Ghost. “Go!” Ghost shot off ahead of them, and Jon began running behind him, dragging Daenerys along with him, just in case the bear changed its mind and doubled back.</p><p>Thankfully, they made it back to the cabin without further incident and in record time, Jon slamming the door shut behind them. Distraught, Ghost stood up on his hind legs, hopping and frantically trying to lick first Jon’s face then Daenerys’ face. “We’re OK, boy, we’re OK. You did good,” he reassured him.</p><p>Once Ghost settled down, Jon didn’t even think twice; he just grabbed Daenerys and pulled her into a hug. He squeezed his arms around her, crushing her pack against her back. Snaking her arms around his waist, she clung to him, too. She was trembling, he realized; so was he.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he said remorsefully. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. Just—gods, that was fucking terrifying.”</p><p>She pressed her face against his chest, shaking her head. “I get it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just reacted. That’s always been my problem.”</p><p>He let out a bewildered laugh. “It’s a good thing you did. I don’t wanna think about what would have happened to Ghost—” His throat squeezed unexpectedly, stealing the words from him. She hugged him tighter.</p><p>They were quiet for a moment, just reveling in the shared embrace and the knowledge that they’d escaped possible death unscathed. Finally, Daenerys lifted her head from his chest, pulling back slightly to look up at him. Jon angled his chin down to meet her gaze and let out a ragged breath. Her cheeks were pink from where the sun had lightly burned them; the few, faint freckles on her face had darkened, and her violet eyes looked a deeper shade of purple, her pupils big and bright.</p><p>Gods, she was beautiful. With her body pressed up against his, he could feel every soft curve, every toned muscle. His gaze dropped to her mouth, her pink lips parting with a sharp inhale, and he felt a tug low in his gut. Nostrils flaring, he lowered his face to hers—</p><p>Ghost barked then, startling them apart. He whimpered, tail wagging in distress, as he pawed at Jon’s feet. Unnerved, Jon released Daenerys. Their eyes met again briefly, before they both averted their gazes, and Jon crouched down, letting Ghost climb into his arms. With a chuff, he stood, cradling his dog against his chest.</p><p>“You’re fine, you big baby,” he huffed, grimacing as Ghost licked his ear. When he looked at Daenerys, she was watching them, smiling. Then she blushed, dropping her gaze. “I’m gonna go shower,” she said, embarrassed. “I feel gross.” Seeing his wince, she hurried to add, “Because of the lake water and the sweat. Not because…”</p><p>“Aye, I’ll shower after you,” he said quickly as Ghost rested his chin on his shoulder. With a nod, she scurried to the bathroom, and Jon cursed himself for trying to put the moves on her after a near-death situation.</p><p>What a bloody cliché he was.</p>
<hr/><p>Jon couldn’t sleep. The adrenaline from the encounter with the cave bear earlier had long worn off, but he still felt restless, like he could crawl out of his skin. Even Ghost had grown annoyed with his constant tossing and turning, finally hopping off the couch to sleep on the floor instead. Jon had barely noticed, his mind preoccupied with Daenerys and that almost-kiss. After their respective showers, things had been tense and uncomfortable between them, but neither dared broach the subject of the kiss. Instead, they'd gone about the rest of their night as if nothing had happened, eating dinner and watching a movie before eventually going their separate ways to sleep. Tomorrow was slated to be his last day in the cabin; miraculously, he was almost finished with his manuscript, and yet he dreaded the end of his holiday.</p><p>Resigning himself to a sleepless night, Jon grabbed his e-reader from his duffle bag to pick up where he’d left off in the book he was currently reading: a political thriller about the assassination of a king. It was a bit meandering and navel-gazing, truthfully, but it did a decent job of distracting him from his circling thoughts about Daenerys, at least.</p><p>He’d just gotten to the part where the recently dead king’s widow was about to fuck her twin brother in their marriage bed when Jon heard a sound, a second after Ghost did. Ghost lifted his head, and Jon craned his over the arm of the couch, squinting as his eyes had to readjust to the darkness again.</p><p>A moment later, he spotted a silhouette gliding through the cabin toward him. Stupidly—because his mind was slightly muddled from the book he was reading—his heart sped up before he fully understood what he was seeing. “Dany?” he called out in a hushed voice. Ghost’s tail thumped against the hardwood lightly.</p><p>Soon she was standing over him, her hair down and bright even in the darkness of the room. Wordlessly, she lifted the blanket draped over him, and, stunned, Jon shifted back against the cushions as she slid onto the couch beside him.</p><p>“Is this OK?” she asked, her voice soft, her breaths loud.</p><p>“Sure,” he said, still mystified. He was shirtless, and all she wore was a short t-shirt, her feet tangling around his sweatpants as she intertwined her bare legs with his. Under the blanket, her body was hot pressed against his, like a damn radiator. A flush broke out along his skin, and not entirely because of the sudden heat flux.</p><p>“Couldn’t sleep,” Daenerys whispered, and it took him a second to realize she was talking about herself.</p><p>“No?” He dropped his e-reader somewhere behind his back so he could put his hand on her waist. Her shirt had ridden up and his thumb stroked over the soft flesh of her hip. Her panties felt as skimpy as her bathing suit bottom had been.</p><p>He felt more than saw her shake her head on the pillow beside his. “You didn’t kiss me,” she murmured, and he could feel the flutter of her breath on his mouth, achingly close to hers.</p><p>His thumb hooked around the waistband of her panties. “Did you want me to?” he asked lowly.</p><p>In answer, she lifted her chin and met him open-mouthed, her plump lips parted; her tongue grazed his, and he groaned, sliding his hand beneath her panties to palm her arse cheek. <em>Fuck</em>, her arse felt as perfect as it looked. They kissed like that for a while, exploring each other, as he gently caressed her arse, until eventually, with a quiet moan, she shifted to hook her leg over his, angling her hips toward his. Already, he was hard, pressing her close to rub her against his erection. He kissed her harder, deeper, tongue in her mouth, darting between her teeth and swiping along her palate. Inside her panties, his hand ventured farther back, down between her legs; when his fingertips grazed the damp, puffy folds of her cunt, finding her already hot and slick, she jerked against him with a gasp.</p><p>“Jon,” she whimpered into the kiss. He broke away, nuzzling under her jaw to suck on her skin there, dragging his teeth over her pulse point. “Do you—<em>gods</em>—” She made a strangled sound when his fingers rubbed between her folds. “Do you have a condom?”</p><p>He went still. <em>Fuck</em>. He closed his eyes, breathing hard against her neck, wanting to howl in disbelief. “No,” he lamented, and she tensed with disappointment, too. Swallowing his frustration, he began stroking her cunt again, dragging her cum up between her arse cheeks. Suddenly, he didn’t really care if they fucked or not—not much, anyway, not if he could still make her come, on his fingers or his tongue, or both. “I can still get you off—go down on you if you want,” he rasped, lifting his head from her neck.</p><p>Her hips were moving of their own accord, seeking the friction and pressure of his fingers against her cunt. “Really?” She made a pleading sound when he thrust his erection into the cradle of her hips.</p><p>“Fuck, yes,” he grunted, wiggling his fingers between her thighs until he felt the slick, silky heat of her opening, then he pushed two of them inside her, up to the first knuckles. She gasped, pushing back against his hand.</p><p>“Gods, yes, <em>please</em>,” she begged as he fucked her from behind, driving his fingers as deep into her cunt as he could reach from this awkward angle. Gods, she was so wet, his fingers squelching as they moved inside her. “I need it—”</p><p>Mindless with lust, he growled at her ear. “You want me to add another finger so you can imagine it’s my cock fucking you?”</p><p>She moaned loudly. “<em>Yes</em>!”</p><p>Jon pushed himself up on his arm and crowded her underneath him, rolling her onto her stomach so he could get at her better, but he stopped abruptly, struck with a sudden thought. “Shit—wait—” He pulled his hand out of her panties, and Daenerys wriggled beneath him, breathing hard as she tried to twist her head around to look at him.</p><p>“What? What is it?” she panted, voice rough with desperation. Heart pounding in his ears, Jon reached over the side of the couch for his duffle bag, unzipping one of the side pockets. With his wet fingers, he scrounged around inside, his burgeoning hope already dying a quick death when—<em>there!</em> He crowed victoriously, yanking out a strip of condoms. He’d almost forgotten about them; they must be a couple years old by now, as he hadn’t used them since the last time he brought—</p><p>Well, anyway, he wasn’t going to think about <em>that</em> right now. “I have condoms,” he announced, quite proud, and a little delirious as all the blood in his head had rushed to his dick.</p><p>“Oh, thank the gods,” Daenerys gasped, already trying to sit up on her hands and knees, but Jon threw the blanket aside and stood up from the couch, stuffing the condoms into his pocket. She made a sound of surprise when he pulled her off the couch and easily lifted her into his arms.</p><p>“There’s not enough room on this couch for what I want to do to you,” he told her, carrying her across the cabin, bridal-style. When Ghost gave a sudden yip of protest, Jon shot him a stern look. “<em>Stay.</em>”</p><p>Ghost knew that tone of voice <em>very</em> well. Obediently, he lay his head back down on his paws, watching with wide eyes as Jon and Daenerys disappeared into the bedroom.</p><p>Shutting the door behind him, Jon sat her down on her feet, and she immediately twisted in his arms to kiss him, her hand clawing up the back of his neck and into his hair. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and quickly yanked it up over her head. Even with the near full moon outside, it was too dark in the bedroom to fully appreciate her nakedness, so he let his hands map what his eyes couldn’t see clearly, cupping her breasts and spanning her small waist, dragging over the flare of her hips to her arse as he captured her mouth again. When he encountered the barrier of her panties, Jon grunted around her tongue and made quick work of them, breaking away from her mouth to yank them down her legs.</p><p>Daenerys stepped back to wriggle out of her panties the rest of the way, kicking them aside. Then her hands were on his face, combing through his beard to drag his mouth back down to hers. Her tongue tangled with his before she sucked his lower lip into her mouth, worrying it between her teeth. When she nipped at it, he inhaled sharply, catching a familiar scent. Grabbing her right hand, Jon turned his face away from her mouth and pressed her fingers to his nose to take another deep breath.</p><p>Oh, yes, he recognized that scent. He could smell it on his fingers, too.</p><p>His cock twitched, and he let out a low groan, his hunger edged with amusement. “Dany, were you in here fucking yourself before you came to me?”</p><p>He heard her sharp intake of breath as she pried her hand away from his. He thought he’d embarrassed her and meant to reassure her when she replied. “Maybe,” she said, making him groan when she reached into his pants to grab his cock underneath his boxer-briefs. “But don’t act like you weren’t doing the same thing in the shower earlier.”</p><p>He laughed gruffly, the sound turning tormented when she squeezed his shaft. “Oh, I definitely was.” Not being able to rub one out in the safety of his bed all week in case she stumbled into the living room mid-wank had been fucking <em>torture</em>.</p><p>She laughed, too, just a little puff of hot air against his mouth, then they were kissing again, all tongue and teeth, her hand still tugging determinedly at his cock. He had to pull her hand out of his pants or else he was going to finish before they’d even made it to the bed. Stripping out of his sweats, Jon retrieved the condoms from the pocket and tossed them onto the bed, then walked her backward until the back of her knees hit the edge. Sitting down on the bed, Daenerys lay back, pulling him down on top of her as he crawled over her. Her hands stretched out the waistband of his boxer-briefs, sliding underneath to grab his arse. His muscles clenched under her fingers as they dug into his cheeks, and he groaned when she pulled his hips down against hers. He could feel the heat of her cunt as she rubbed against his erection, her arousal soaking through his boxer-briefs.</p><p>“Fuck,” he grunted, absently rutting against her. When his shaft hit her clitoris, she gasped, arching into him and tugging his underwear down over his arse. Jon kissed down her throat to her breasts, angling his hips away from hers as he took her nipple into his mouth. He sucked and worried the stiff peak between his lips, pulling it with his teeth. Moaning, she bowed beneath him, lifting her breasts toward him. He cupped her other tit in his hand, thumbing the nipple before taking it into his mouth next. He sucked at it hungrily, pulling it hard between his lips and teeth until she cried out.</p><p>“<em>Jon</em>.” She tried to pull his hips back to hers and divest him of his underwear completely, but he stopped her.</p><p>“Not yet.” Turning away from her breasts, he pressed a kiss to her belly, feeling her lower abdomen clench beneath his lips as he moved his mouth lower. “There’s something else I want first.”</p><p>She whimpered, her thighs falling open as he settled between them. That scent on her fingers, it was stronger here, her cunt all but dripping for him. He could see a little better now that his eyes had adjusted; she was so wet, her folds stuck together until he dragged his fingers through them, making her hips jerk. She choked back a cry, and he followed the seam of her slit down to the puckered skin of her arsehole, dementedly pleased when she squealed out his name again. Then he pressed his hand against her inner thigh, gently spreading her wider, and licked his tongue along her cunt, from that illicit spot he’d just touched, over her leaking hole, and up to her swollen clitoris.</p><p>“Gods!” She grabbed at his hair, drawing his face closer, and as he licked her again, and again, her hips began to shift restlessly, undulating and rocking with the thrusts of his tongue, in and out of her hot channel. Jon groaned brokenly as he opened his mouth wide over her cunt, tonguing her messily. She tasted sweet and sticky, smearing across his lips, soaking his beard. Daenerys rode his face with abandon, bucking wildly; he had to splay his hand over her pelvis to rein her in.</p><p>Deciding to end her torment, Jon licked up to her clit, flicking it quickly. When she tensed against him suddenly, her moan catching in her throat, he sucked the bud between his lips, massaging it with his lips and tongue until her cry tore from her lips, thighs quaking around his head as she came. Releasing her clit, he licked her again, swallowing the gush of cum that seeped from her cunt.</p><p>“<em>Jon</em>,” she moaned, her body still shaking as he stroked her pelvis with his thumb, grazing her shorn pubes. He lapped lightly at her clit, and she shuddered again, mewling like a godsdamn kitten. She pulled at his hair. “It hurts. I need you to fuck me now, <em>please</em>.”</p><p>He groaned. There was nothing hotter than when a woman begged for his cock.</p><p>He had to get up from the bed to remove his boxer-briefs, momentarily leaving her slack on the bed. He watched her cup her hand over her cunt, shivering as she rubbed her fingers over her tender clit and folds. They locked eyes as he gripped his cock, stroking idly. He could hear the wet movements of her fingers over her cunt and groaned as he watched her play with herself, waiting for him. Then, forcing his hand away, he grabbed the condoms, ripped one free from the strip and tore into it, quickly rolling the sheath down over his swollen cock.</p><p>When he climbed back onto the bed, Daenerys rolled onto her stomach, lifting up onto her knees. “Like this?” he asked, moving behind her, and she nodded, grabbing onto the bars of the headboard.</p><p>“Yes, I need it hard,” she panted, her back arching as she leaned forward onto her forearms. Jon stroked his hands over her arse and then her spine, following the curve up to her neck. When he gently fisted her hair, she trembled. “Jon,” she whimpered, hands tightening on the headboard, and he took his cock in hand to run the tip up and down her cunt, eyes closing briefly at the heat that engulfed him.</p><p>“Fuck, Dany,” he sighed, his tip slipping inside her. With the slightest push forward, his cock sank into her, just a little, and they both groaned. He pushed again, harder this time, his cock stretching her cunt open, and with another punch of his hips, he was buried inside her.</p><p>“Gods, yes, Jon,” she keened, her head falling forward. He wanted to stay there and revel in it, her tight cunt gripping him so snugly, but he could tell she was impatient for it, her arse rocking back to urge him on. With a groan, he pulled out of her then pushed in again, then again, faster, deeper. He untangled his fingers from her hair and palmed her head, carefully pressing her cheek down to the mattress as he fucked her. Soon he was pounding into her, his hips slapping against her thighs and arse. As he hammered into her, she cried out, unable to do anything in that position but take it.</p><p>“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he grunted. A fucking <em>dream</em>.</p><p>“Jon,” she panted, begging, letting go of the headboard to claw at the bed. “Your cock, give it to me, yes, <em>yes</em>.”</p><p>So he did, driving into her so hard he was sure her head was going to hit the headboard. She only moaned and squealed, turning her face to muffle the sounds against the mattress. His chest heaved with his efforts, sweat dripping down his back, his belly. Her cunt was so wet, the friction of his cock pistoning inside her slopping loudly; the sound was so obscene, so hot, his balls pulled in tight. “Fuck,” he gasped, releasing her head to grab her shoulder and hunch over her, jerking her back against him as he pounded into her. Gradually, her knees had slid out from under her from the force of his thrusts, his hips driving her into the bed.</p><p>Pulling out of her then, Jon rolled her onto her back and threw her legs on either side of him. Hand braced by her head, he grabbed her hip with his other hand and shoved into her, making her cry out. With his knees under him, her arse resting against his thighs, he could drive into her relentlessly, her tits bouncing with the force of his thrusts. This way he could see her face, every flinch and flicker of pleasure, her mouth stretched wide in a lovely <em>O </em>as she gasped and moaned, her eyes screwed shut.</p><p>He slowed and cupped her face. “Dany,” he commanded, waiting for her to open her eyes. When he saw the purples of her irises, he dragged his thumb across her kiss-stung lips, the tip of her tongue flicking across it. He thrust into her, slow and deep, grinding his hips into hers on each upward stroke. Eyes still locked with his, she moaned and arched her back, closing her lips around his thumb and sucking. Soon her hips were swiveling against his, grinding her clit against the root of his cock. Her nostrils flared, her cunt rippling around him in preface to her orgasm, and with a few more thrusts, she was coming on his cock, her teeth digging into his thumb as she bit down hard, grunting and panting around it. Jon groaned low in his chest and rocked into her, her cunt gripping him tightly in its pulsing contractions.</p><p>Once her climax ebbed, he pulled his hand away from her face and braced it on the bed, arms locked and holding his weight over her. Then he began driving his hips into hers with single-minded determination until he was coming, too; his hips juddered against hers, and he gasped, head dropping back on his shoulders. “Fuck!” he groaned to the ceiling, shallowly stroking his cock inside her before sinking into her completely, his cum filling the condom in rapid spurts.</p><p>When he dropped his head forward again, sated and relaxed, Daenerys was still watching him, her legs wrapped around his waist as she affectionately caressed his clenched stomach. His muscles flexed under her touch, cock twitching inside her as he stroked into her again. She inhaled through her teeth, her cunt clenching around him reflexively, and he groaned, laughing hoarsely.</p><p>Gods, he could almost certainly go again—in a few minutes, anyway.</p><p>Gripping the base of the condom, he gently pulled out of her and removed the condom from his cock before tying it off. From memory, he knew there was a trash can beside the bed, and he dropped the used condom over the side, satisfied when he heard it land. Then he shifted out from between her legs and collapsed on his back beside her, more than a little winded.</p><p>Rolling onto her side, she looked at him, their eyes meeting. Neither said anything for a moment, just catching their breath. Before an awkward disquiet could creep in, Jon broke the tension. “Still got that knife in here?” he asked, glancing toward the pillow.</p><p>She raised her eyebrows. “Why? You worried—or just curious?”</p><p>He considered it. “Both, maybe.”</p><p>Her laugh was slightly breathless. “I don’t usually bring out the knives the first time I sleep with a guy.” Leaning forward, she kissed him before pulling away. “Be right back. I gotta use the bathroom.”</p><p>Jon chuckled. “You leave this bedroom and Ghost won’t let you out of his sight again.”</p><p>“But I <em>really </em>need to pee.”</p><p>“Good luck,” he mumbled as she rolled to her other side, sliding out of bed. He watched her pull her shirt back on and tip-toe to the door, cracking it open quietly before slipping out into the hall and shutting the door behind her.</p><p>Almost immediately, she cried out in dismay. “Ghost, no! I need to pee! Get out!”</p><p>Jon laughed to himself again, and, with a contented sigh, he slung his arm over his eyes.</p><p>Maybe tomorrow, after he finished his manuscript and sent the the pages off to Davos, he would email Sam and inquire about the possibility of extending his stay at the cabin—just by a couple more days, at least.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>